Howard vs. WVU

Should I go to Howard University or West Virginia University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Howard or WVU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Marshall University Maryland JMU ECU Penn State TU George Washington Ohio University WCU Kent State UMBC Spelman
Howard University vs. West Virginia University comparison
Howard University West Virginia University College 3 College 4
Howard University West Virginia University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Howard WVU
Location Washington, DC Morgantown, WV
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 12,886 24,741
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #318 #559
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website howard.edu wvu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Howard WVU
Tuition (In State) $30,584 $9,360
Tuition (Out of State) $30,584 $26,568
Room & Board $15,880 $11,618
Avg Net Price $28,279 $12,202
Avg Grant Aid $20,063 $11,685
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 94%

Admission

Howard WVU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,188 18,206
Admitted 10,253 16,091
Acceptance Rate 53.4% 88.4%
Enrolled % 24.3% 28.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.66 3.45
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/26 20/26
SAT Range 1050/1290 1000/1220
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 15, 2024

Academics

Howard WVU
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Communication (20%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)

Outcomes

Howard WVU
Graduation Rate 63% 57%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,800 $50,600
Making Student Loan Payments 33% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $24,001
Median Loan Payment $279 $248

Diversity

Howard WVU
% Men 29% 47%
% Women 71% 53%
Racial Diversity Extremely Low Very Low
HBCU Yes No
% White 2% 81%
% Black 91% 5%
% Hispanic 0% 4%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 5% 6%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

Howard WVU
% In-State 1% 42%
% Out-of-State 91% 57%

Campus

Howard WVU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • West Virginia University is larger than than Howard based on total student enrollment (24,741 students vs. 12,886 students)

Howard vs. WVU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Howard or WVU?

  • Howard University is 226.8% more expensive to attend than WVU for in-state tuition ($30,584.00 vs. $9,360.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 15.1% higher at Howard than West Virginia University ($30,584.00 vs. $26,568.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at West Virginia University than Howard ($12,202 vs. $28,279)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at West Virginia University are 36.7% lower than costs at Howard University ($11,618 vs. $15,880)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Howard University than West Virginia University (99% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Howard University students is 71.7% larger than aid received West Virginia University ($20,063 vs. $11,685)

Howard vs. WVU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Howard or WVU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between WVU or Howard .

  • The average SAT score at Howard University (1105) is 27 points higher than at WVU (1078)
  • Incoming Howard students have at the same average ACT score (24) as students at WVU (24)
  • Accepted freshman Howard students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at WVU (3.45)
  • WVU has a higher acceptance rate (88.4%) than Howard (53.4%)

Howard vs. WVU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Howard or WVU? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between WVU and Howard.

  • The graduation rate at Howard is higher than West Virginia University (63% vs. 57%)
  • Graduates from Howard University earn on average $1,200 more per year than WVU graduates after ten years. ($51,800 vs. $50,600)
  • West Virginia University students graduate with a $2,999 lower median federal student loan debt than Howard graduates. ($24,001 vs. $27,000)
  • WVU graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than Howard graduates. ($248 vs. $279)
  • More WVU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Howard students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 33%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/